While they’re often built on the best of intentions, studies suggest that 88% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned within just two weeks. Though there are many potential reasons for this, it often boils down to the fact that the resolutions themselves are too “big” or unrealistic. This makes it harder to feel as though you’re making any tangible progress, leading to a loss of motivation and focus.
Fortunately, it does not have to be that way! There are many goals that you can set for yourself that will allow you to enact positive change in 2025 without feeling overwhelmed or as though you have no choice but to give up.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
With that in mind, here are six realistic New Year’s resolutions that you can set for yourself in 2025.
Make healthier choices. Close to 80% of New Year’s resolutions are related to healthy living, with many choosing to focus on weight loss. However, this is an endeavour that many tend to abandon when they do not see the results they’d like on the scale right away (despite knowing that healthy weight loss can take time).
While specificity can help when setting goals, this is a resolution that you can afford to be a little more general about. For example, instead of setting yourself the goal of losing weight, aim instead to make healthier choices in your daily routine. This could include everything from making time in your schedule for regular exercise to shifting to a more balanced diet.
This kind of goal puts you under less intense pressure, which makes it easier to adhere to. For example, it means that if you do go off track a little, you aren’t undoing any of the progress you’ve made, and you can simply try to make healthier choices moving forward. This will make the process of adopting a healthier lifestyle much more straightforward, as you’re adjusting to change gradually as opposed to all at once.
Be more organized. There are many disadvantages associated with disorganization in all areas of our lives. For example, if your home is disorganized and full of clutter, not only is it harder to find what you are looking for, but you’re also more likely to experience feelings of stress and anxiety. As such, setting yourself the goal of being more organized in the new year is another great resolution that will impact your life in more ways than one.
One way in which you can ensure your home is more organized than ever in the new year is by leaving clutter in 2024! Give yourself a fresh start by going through each room in your house and throwing away or donating items you no longer need or use. Remember, if they are doing nothing but take up space, then they don’t need a place in your home. If you still find that you’ve got more belongings than space, consider investing in a self storage unit. This is perfect for storing everything from valuables and bulky furniture to seasonal items such as Christmas or Halloween décor until you need it once again!
However, this is not the only area in your life in which you can strive to become more organized. For example, if you find that you’re often disorganized at work, such as by missing deadlines or having to work past your paid hours in order to keep up, then this is something you should also work on during this time. For example, it could be that you need to learn more about effective time management or task prioritization.
Step out of your comfort zone. Aiming to step outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis is a great example of an effective New Year’s resolution. This is because a wide range of tasks or endeavours can fall under this umbrella, which means that you’re unlikely to get ‘bored’ or give up when things don’t go your way, as you can simply try something else instead.
For example, for some people, stepping out of their comfort zone could include making major life decisions, such as starting a new career or embarking upon the holiday of a lifetime. For others, these tasks could be somewhat “smaller” (but just as impactful), such as ordering something than your ‘usual’ at a restaurant or joining a new exercise class.
No matter what stepping out of your comfort zone means to you, it’s clear that this is a resolution with many benefits. For example, many people find that venturing outside of their comfort zone can increase their confidence and feelings of self-worth tenfold. As such, it’s great for combating anxiety.
Dedicate more time to your hobbies. Many people leave behind their hobbies as they get older, even if they bring them great joy and contentment. There are many reasons behind this, the most obvious being a lack of time once they start dealing with “adult” life and the responsibilities that come hand in hand with this.
However, as there are just as many benefits tied to having a hobby in adulthood as there are in childhood, dedicating more time to your hobbies is another great resolution. Not only that, but as hobbies can be a lot of fun; it’s also a resolution that you’re likely to stick to. After all, it is easier to make time in your routine for things you enjoy!
One way in which you can make sure that you always make time in your routine for your hobbies, whether that’s playing an instrument or painting, is by adding it to your calendar on your phone. This way, you consider it to be part of your routine or schedule as opposed to something you’ll do if you have the time.
Get more sleep. By now, you’re likely well aware of the importance of getting enough sleep, for both your health and your mental wellbeing. Despite this, one in five people in the UK admit to not getting enough sleep each night. As such, aiming to improve your sleep hygiene (simply getting a healthy amount of sleep) is another great resolution. After all, this is a great example of a goal that is measurable, as it means that you can figure out relatively quickly whether or not you’re on track or if you need to try out new strategies.
Fortunately, there are many ways in which you can set about improving your sleeping patterns. This includes:
- Practicing deep breathing or relaxation techniques before bed so that you can drift off more easily.
- Avoid using your phone or being around bright lights for at least an hour before bed.
- Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon/evening due to the fact that it is a stimulant.
- Going to bed at the same time each day so that your mind automatically begins to feel ‘tired’ when your bedtime approaches.
Putting yourself first. Whether you’re a people-pleaser by nature or always find that you put other people’s needs before your own, starting to put yourself first in the new year can be life-changing. After all, it could be that you are (unknowingly) neglecting your own wants and needs by behaving in this way. As such, this is another fantastic example of a New Year’s resolution that will have a profound impact on your life.
However, it is also one of the most difficult resolutions featured on this list. This is because people-pleasing is a hard habit to break, especially if you are concerned about what this can have on your relationships moving forward. For example, you may feel that starting to put yourself first or establish boundaries will change the dynamic of your friendship, meaning that people no longer want to spend time with you. However, it is important to remember that a good friend will want you to be the most honest and accurate version of yourself and that they will not judge you for starting to put yourself first. There are many different ways in which you can enact this resolution, starting by learning to say ‘no’ to plans that you do not want to partake in.
Final thoughts. There are hundreds of New Year’s resolutions to choose from, all of which can have a positive effect on your life moving forward. However, as most of these resolutions are abandoned within just a few weeks, it is important that you are as realistic as possible when setting goals for yourself.
For example, you should focus on goals that are relatively easy to introduce to your life and do not require a complete lifestyle overhaul, such as getting more sleep or making healthier choices. You should also focus on goals that are easy to assess, meaning you can quickly determine whether or not you’re on track and need to make further changes.
However, beyond all of this, the only way in which you can ensure that you stick to your New Year’s resolutions – big or small – is by holding yourself accountable. Otherwise, you’ll quickly consider them to be nothing more than a distant memory!
Feature image by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
